Mold Growth on Bread
Materials: ★☆☆ Easy to get from supermarket or hardware store
Difficulty: ★☆☆ Can be easily done by most teenagers
Safety: ★★☆ Some safety precautions required to perform safely
Categories: Disease, Microbiology
Alternative titles: Fungi and Decomposition
Summary
Students test how moisture affects mold growth on bread by comparing a dry slice with a moistened slice stored in sealed bags. Over time, they observe and record fungal growth, learning about decomposition and environmental factors influencing microbes.
Procedure
- Label two plastic bags “Wet Bread” and “Dry Bread.”
- Place 10 drops of water on one slice of bread and seal it inside the “Wet Bread” bag.
- Place a dry slice into the “Dry Bread” bag and seal it.
- Store both bags in a warm, dark location such as a cupboard.
- Predict which slice will mold faster and record your hypothesis.
- Check the bags daily for 7–10 days, recording observations in a notebook or chart.
- Do not open the bags; observe mold growth through the plastic.
- At the end of the experiment, compare results and draw conclusions.
Links
Mouldy Bread Science Experiment - TheDadLab:
HOW TO GROW MOLDS | GROW MOLDS ON BREAD | BREAD MOLD EXPERIMENT - Hungry SciANNtist:
📄 Bread Mold Experiment - Little Bins for Little Hands: https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/bread-mold-experiment/
📄 Moldy Bread Experiment – What Makes Mold Grow? - MomBrite: https://www.mombrite.com/moldy-bread-experiment/
Variations
- Test different types of bread (white, whole wheat, gluten-free).
- Vary the amount of water added (5, 10, 20 drops).
- Compare growth in warm vs. cold conditions.
- Compare bread stored in sunlight vs. darkness.
- Leave one slice unsealed to test the effect of air exposure.
Safety Precautions
- Never open the bags once mold growth has started.
- Do not touch or inhale mold spores; always keep samples sealed.
- Dispose of sealed bags in the trash after the experiment is complete.
- Wash hands thoroughly after handling materials.
Questions to Consider
- Which slice of bread molded first? Why? (Moist bread molds faster because fungi need moisture to grow.)
- What conditions help mold grow best? (Warmth, moisture, air exposure.)
- Why shouldn’t moldy bread be eaten? (Mold produces spores and toxins that can be harmful.)
- What role do fungi play in ecosystems? (They decompose organic matter, recycling nutrients.)
- How does this experiment model how food spoils at home? (Moist, warm conditions encourage microbial growth.)